Ahhhh the New Year is up on us! 2012 here we come! Now that your Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Winter Solstice gifts are unwrapped, the fruit cake from Aunt June is put away to age for the rest of eternity, you finally have a moment of clarity! Holy crap! I have credit card bills on their way. I have to pay for all of these merry festivities now! Not to fret, we’re here to make some sense of it for you, and to give you some guidance so that you don’t go as crazy as “Cousin Eddie” standing in the … [Read more...]
Get The Facts On FACTA (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act)
On December 4, 2003, President George W. Bush signed into law as an amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act; the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA). This law is specifically designed to prevent fraud and identity theft which is the fastest growing financial crime today. The law sets new guidelines on how merchants print receipts, on how lending institutions process and protect your personal and financial information. It provides means and remedies for fraud and identity theft … [Read more...]
Proper Management of Credit Cards
Credit cards are necessary to help you establish credit so you can get future loans like car loans and mortgages. However, the problem with credit cards is that you can cause a lot of financial damage to yourself if you are not careful with credit cards and you do not learn how to properly manage them. Instant Gratification The problem with credit cards is that they send out the wrong message as they sell people on “buy now, pay later.” You have to be careful with credit cards as the interest … [Read more...]
Consumer Reporting Agencies- Who Is Gathering Data About You?
Believe it or not, you are for sale! Yes that’s right, every aspect of your life is up for grabs and there are companies making a lot of money with your personal information. These companies are known generally as consumer reporting companies. They gather data about you such as your credit and payment histories, mortgage histories, rental histories, checking account histories, medical and pharmacy histories, and the list goes on! Sold To The Highest Bidder! Once these companies gather … [Read more...]
Stale Collections and What Happens When You Pay Off Old Accounts
What Is A Stale Collection Account? A stale collection is any collection account that has been sitting on your credit report and, for whatever reason, you have not paid it. Typically, these types of accounts sit on your credit year after year. Then, since we are all the responsible, moral types, we get our tax returns or come across a large sum of money and we decide to pay off these old debts because it’s the responsible thing to do. After you pay your old debts, you think you are all … [Read more...]
